Heart, City, and Sword
by BubbleFettTea
Summary: The Dragonborn sets out with her friend and ally as she readies herself to fight the World Eater, and maybe unite her warring homeland along the way: The Vastly Improved Upon Edition.
1. Chapter 1

**I know it has only taken me forever to finally post this, but here it is and I am (mostly) quite pleased with it. Seems the fresh start given me by a new account was really all I needed. That, and to finally be rid of pointless medical tests that only told me what I already knew; I am broken and there is no fixing it. Good thing insurance covered it, because it was really nothing but a waste of time and money.  
For those who read the original incarnation of this story, you will find that quite a bit has changed/been improved upon, and the length has almost doubled. Some parts in it are a little rocky, and I apologize; it was written on and off over the course of several weeks, and the break in my writing rhythm was likely detrimental to the story. Again, I apologize.  
Without further ado, and with assurances that I own only the story idea and Eris, I am off. Do enjoy.**

* * *

The afternoon sun had risen high, making the day surprisingly warm and humid. The sudden summer downpour that morning had soaked them through, and thanks to that they suddenly guessed as to what it was like to be steamed Mudcrab legs. The mud sucked at their boots as the pair trudged along a barely visible pathway. Finally they found themselves in a bit of a clearing with large rocks, which they wearily sat down upon.  
Eris leaned back with a groan as Lydia rummaged through a bag in search of food. Finally she withdrew a battered loaf of bread and two ales, one of which she tossed at her traveling companion. Eris scrambled to catch it, and she gratefully uncorked it and chugged while Lydia tore the bread in half and handed her a share.  
"I do not see why we could not just travel by wagon, my Thane."  
Eris choked on her beverage as she involuntarily inhaled it. Panicked, Lydia quickly slammed Eris on the back until she was able to breathe again. The former took a few shaky breaths before downing the last of her drink and wiping her mouth. Lydia sat there with an arm around the other woman's waist, a worried expression on her face.  
Eris leaned into the embrace and rested her head against Lydia's shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak hesitantly. "Lydia, something you do not know about me is that my earliest memory of Skyrim is of being bound and tossed bodily into a cart to be hauled off to Helgen to be executed. No idea why they were going to, but they were going to. Then suddenly, Alduin. It was terrifying and had it not been for a rather dashing young Imperial soldier who lead me to safety, I surely would have perished. So, can you see why I am not all that fond of carts?" she ended with a shrug.  
Lydia swallowed and held a hand to her neck. She may be a seasoned warrior, but no one likes the thought of their head being lopped off. Squeezing Eris even tighter, she took advantage of her thane being distracted to begin undoing the clasps of her armor. "Come on now. We need to set our armor in the sun, let it and us have a chance to dry off.

Eris rose and stretched, then carefully scooted away from Lydia. Lydia yawned and shifted in her sleep, and Eris tenderly brushed a stray lock of hair from her friend's face. Their friendship began tenuously, but soon they became quite close. As the weeks had gone on, Lydia had admitted to her that men had never held her fancy after Eris had accidentally stumbled across her friend in a compromising position with a bar maid. The housecarl had worried that her preference of sexual partners might perturb her new thane, making her uncomfortable. As Eris thought back on things, she shook her head, bewildered that it should matter to anyone what others did behind closed doors.  
Lydia had woken while Eris dressed and proceeded to follow suit. Soon both were dressed and on the move again. The sun had set while they rested, and Eris cast Candlelight to accompany what little moonlight made it through the forest canopy. After a half an hour of walking, the trees started to thin out. Not long after, the forest opened to a roadway. In the distance the moons glimmered off of a lake near what could only be a walled city.  
Lydia and Eris cheered to themselves. A city meant an inn, which meant hot food and soft beds. With renewed vigor, they started forward. Soon a stable came into sight, and next to it the entrance of the city. As they neared it, a guard rushed forward. "Halt! You need to pay a visitor's fee before you can have the honor of entering Riften."  
Lydia groaned as Eris rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she perked up and elbowed Lydia out of sight of the guard before pulling her closer. "Just follow my lead, alright?" she hissed. Fluttering her eyelashes and thrusting her chest forward, Eris pouted at the guard.  
"Are you sure that there is really a tax to enter this fine city? That seems so unusual. Almost like a...like a shakedown to take advantage of people. You seem much too nice to take advantage of us, especially as we have no coin. See, my partner and I were told we could find _work_ here as we are just ever so poor," she simpered in a husky voice, placing emphasis on the word work. Fortunately Lydia caught on quickly, draping her arms around Eris' shoulders and letting her hands roam while winking coquettishly at the guard.

The man's face had gone pale, his breathing shallow as his eyes wandering between the two women. They could see him debating, until he finally swallowed nervously and shuffled off to unlock the gate. "Just...just do not tell anyone, alright?" he muttered, his gaze lust filled as the two women sauntered past him.  
The large gate shut behind them and they exhaled in relief. "I was not sure if that would work. Was so worried for a minute," admitted Eris.  
Lydia pinched her at this, leveling a displeased glare in her direction. "You are just lucky that he did not try to work out a 'deal' with us before letting us pass!" Both women shuddered at this, and Eris made a quiet retching noise at the thought of the filthy guard sweating over her as a shudder of disgust rippled through her body. They joined arms and set off in the direction of inn, so marked by the sign.

Halfway to their destination they were accosted by a large man whose frame blocked their path. Eris eyed him warily, and she could feel Lydia shift her stance in preparation for a fight. Flicking her eyes downward quickly, she could see her friend's hand move to the dagger she kept at her belt. She lifted her own hand and entwined their fingers to stop her.  
"Better not cause any trouble around here, if you know what is good for you." His voice was gruff, intimidating. The growl in it was obviously meant to be threatening. She bristled at his behavior, taking a deep breath to try to settle the anger within her. Nodding slightly in mocking acquiescence, she found her voice and replied to him; "We are only stopping through and are looking for a bed for the night." Noting the interested gleam in his eye at those words, she quickly moved to deter an offer to share his bed. "As I said, we will be leaving soon enough and shall cause no ill to any who do not bring it upon themselves." A thinly veiled barb. Damn the nine, the dragon got the better of her in the end, as it tends to. Eris stood taller, her temper turning foul as this strange man who accosted them narrowed his eyes, suddenly appearing surprisingly calculating for one who looked so oafish. If he is so fond of intimidation, two could play that game. Or really, three; the dragon blood within her veins rather had a mind of its own so it might as well be an entirely separate entity.  
He finally rolled his eyes and chuckled; they could hear the belittlement in it. He disbelieved that two disheveled females were a threat. He stepped aside, and as Eris passed him he caught her elbow. "Might want to watch that attitude around here. Could get you into an awful lot of trouble." He let go of her, almost shoving her away from him before he stalked away.

Lydia snickered. "Trust you to always make friends with everyone you meet." she muttered wryly. Shaking off the foreboding feeling the encounter had left her with, Eris gripped Lydia's hand tightly as they walked the short distance to the doors of the Bee and Barb.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah, I forgot to do a little 'blurb' when I threw this on here the first time, because late night publishing.**  
**I am quite pleased with the majority of this chapter. It is amazing what happens when you spend a day focused on a story, instead of dabbling at it over the course of months. I hopefully will have the third chapter finished and up before I leave to stay at my folks' home for a week. Imma say right now that _that_ particular chapter is going to be a collection of chronologically connected stories combined into one chapter...if that makes sense. Okay, basically it is going to be a bunch of similarly themed short-ish paragraphs that are in the same time span of each other but with a space of time in between each of them...trust me, it will be better than it sounds and I will make it work. Now without further ado, chapter two.  
See what I did there?**

* * *

Eris woke the next morning in a tangled heap of sheets and appendages. She and Lydia had downed copious amounts of mead the previous night, then happily poured themselves into bed. Neither cared that they were only half undressed and their weapons not properly stored. All that mattered was sleep in a real bed.

They had apparently embraced sometime in the night, seeking the others warmth. After carefully extracting herself, Eris perched on the edge of the bed, focusing her sleep and drink addled mind into a soothing healing spell. She inhaled deeply, then sighed in relief as the effects of the previous night wore off. Turning and lightly placing a hand on Lydia, she sent the spell to her. Lydia stirred gently, a small relieved huff escaping her lips before she burrowed further into the blankets.

Rising to her feet Eris stretched, rolling her neck and raising her arms above her head. Healing spells worked wonders, but did little to prepare muscles for even the most mild exertions. She completed her exercises and stripped to her smalls, then dug through a bag in search of clothing. She located a set of clean mage robes and simple boots to accompany them, topping it off with her circlet. Once Eris had clothed herself, she splashed cool water on her face to chase the remaining sleep from her eyes. Moving silently about the room, she collected their belongings. Minutes later, armor tucked away inside a large satchel and the weapons draped upon her person wherever they would comfortably fit without being damaged, she scribbled a note to Lydia and slipped from the room.  
Coasting down the stairs, she entered the main room. Her stomach rumbled, causing her to wince. Eyes scanning the area, she spotted a platter of boiled creme treat and several full bottles of ale near it. The corner of her mouth crooked as her gaze looked around the area. Nonchalantly passing the table, she deftly snagged a pastry and bottle before quietly sailing through the opened door. On the far side of the room, a man in the shadows leaned forward as she exited, a small smile tugging at his lips, an eyebrow raised in interest.  
Outside a gentle breeze tugged at the hem of her robes. Turning to the right, she headed towards what appeared to be a small marketplace. The space was devoid of citizens, the morning still too early for them to have fully wakened. She walked along the side of the building, and past the corner of the building she spotted a sign for the smithy. Moving through the empty market, she reached the other side of the wall separating it from her destination.

Gently setting her belongings down, Eris then stepped slightly to the side and hopped up onto the wall. Once carefully perched, she removed the sticky pastry from her mouth where she had been holding on to it with her teeth. Pulling the ale from the sleeve of her robes, she yanked the cork out with her teeth and dropped it into the weeds at her feet. Taking a bite of pastry, she looked around as she ate, occasionally sipping from the bottle. Riften was actually quite lovely in the morning. The newly risen sun cast a glow the color of Dragon's Tongue over the city. The breeze was cool but not chilly, and everything smelled like earth, ale and the smoke from the forge._ It is wonderful_, Eris thought was she took another bite of pastry.  
Soon signs of life began to emerge from the buildings, shop keeps and workers greeting one another as they passed to and around the market. She turned slightly to watch as the stalls were readied for the day's business, keeping an eye out for anything she might like to purchase once her business at the smithy was done. The Argonian jeweler had just pulled out a glittery silver and moonstone circlet to set in a case when she heard the doors behind her open. Twisting back around, her eyes widened and she felt her face heat up.  
The man who emerged was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and a handsome face. He walked towards the work area where he turned his attention to his forge. He grabbed an iron pole, stirring up the flames, a disgruntled expression settling across his features. As she watched, he gave a resigned sigh and shake of his head before turning away towards other tasks.  
Eris dropped down from her perch and shook her head, then brushed the crumbs of her breakfast from her robes before removing her circlet. She ran a hand over her short hair before placing the circlet firmly back in place and gathering her belongings. It was not until she was besides the water trough that he seemed to notice her. He grunted in acknowledgment of her presence.

"Come to see Balimund perform miracles with steel, eh?" he queried in a rumbling baritone.

_I swear that I could feel that in my bones, _she mused. Putting her bags and weapons back on the ground, she stretched, relieved to be rid of their weight.  
"Yanno, that is some mighty unusual _steel_ you are working on there, "she drawled in a joking fashion, eying the leather he was scraping clean. He paused mid-scrape, turning to face her with a scowl. Eris raised her hands in a placating manner, a small grin lighting up her face. "I meant no offense, good sir, only a lighthearted jest."  
Another noncommittal grunt was his reply as he set his knife aside and rose to get a look at her. His eyes roamed, his head at an angle as he inspected her. Finally he nodded and turned away, leaving her feeling like she had just passed some kind of test. Bringing her hand to her face she pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes squeezed shut.  
"So. Looking to defend yourself, or deal some damage? I have weapons, armor, and the necessary items for you to forge what ever you need," he questioned.  
It was her turn to grunt, realizing she had set her things down too soon. She quickly had them transferred to his work bench, where she pulled items out and explaining what she needed done.  
"My traveling companion's armor was severely dented and I have not the smithing skills to repair it. My own armor was also heavily vitiated, and I am yet again unable to make good of it; I cannot work enchanted leather. Other than that, I need only to sharpen our blades and acquire more arrows."  
As she laid things out, Balimund came closer and found himself surprised by the state of her gear. The iron armor looked as if the wearer had fallen down a cliff, hitting every rock along the way. As for the leather...he picked up the cuirass, watching the sheen of the Fortify Light Armor enchantment ripple across the tattered remains.  
"What in Shor's bones did you do, wrestle a bear?" he muttered.  
"More like a dragon, really" she quipped.  
His brow furrowed, and she chuckled before extending a hand.  
"My name is Eris, and it is my most unfortunate fate to either kill or be killed by the World Eater."


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so, _so_ sorry for how long this took and how pathetically _short_ it is.**  
**For those who have read my profile, you know that I have MS. What it means is that I sometimes have relapses where I lose feeling in most of the right side of my body and in both arms/hands. This, of course, makes typing incredibly difficult and painful. I am honestly biting back tears typing this little update.**  
**Once I get the relapse under control I _do_ intend to completely rewrite this chapter and post it. I also recently noticed how odd Doc. Manager made my chapters look so I will go back and fix them, as well.**  
**Thanks for being patient, and once I am no longer in agonizing pain I will do my best to reward that patience.**

* * *

Eris wearily trudged back into the inn, and spotted her housecarl sitting with a woman whose face bore a broad stripe of blue war paint. Also at the table with them was a younger Imperial man who gazed reverently at the painted warrior. Eris approached them, and Lydia leapt up upon seeing her thane. She glanced towards the multiple parcels Eris now carried. Her face fell.

"Please tell me you did not spend all of our coin, my thane," she sighed.

"Well if _someone_ would not haphazardly rush forward into battle, I would not have had to buy them an entirely new set of armor" gibed Eris.

At this Lydia's face pinked as the woman behind them covered her mouth to hide her amused grin. Lydia collected herself and cleared her throat.

"Allow me to carry these to our room, my tha-Eris" she quickly said.

Eris bumped Lydia's arm with her elbow, giving her a smile.

"That is fine, Lyds dear. I can easily manage these on my own. I would be most grateful if you would have venison stew and bread waiting for me when I return, though. I shall not take very long," she said as she turned from her friend.

Lydia made to return to the table. She had only turned around when she heard Eris speak to her again.

"Oh, by the way! You might want to go ahead and indulge yourself a bit because after lunch? We have bandits to hunt."


End file.
